Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences

Prepare for a Meaningful Career with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences

Earning a BA in Social Sciences degree from New York University School of Professional Studies (NYU SPS) empowers you to pursue professional opportunities and a meaningful career across various fields. Social science graduates use critical thinking skills and in-depth understanding of human behavior, history, and psychology as social workers and educators, managers and human resource professionals, political scientists and international relations experts, and economists and market analysts. They are lifelong learners, policy influencers, and changemakers.

Prepare for a Meaningful Career with a Bachelor of Arts in Social Sciences

Tuition*

$1,833 Per credit*
$15,734 Per term (6-10 credits)*

# of Credits

128 credits

Study Options

Online | Onsite | Hybrid

Fall | Spring | Summer

Full-time | Part-time

Maximum Transfer Credits

80 credits

*See NYU Bursar site for more info.

7%

job growth 2024-2034

$77.7K

median salary

90%

working and/or in school

17,954

NYU SPS DAUS alumni

NYU students smiling in front of the White House in Washington, D.C.

[1] Lightcast 2025
[2] Lightcast 2025
[3] NYU Life Beyond the Square: School of Professional Studies Undergraduate Class of 2024
[4] as of 1/2024

Why This Degree?

Industry Experts: From the Field to the Classroom

Our faculty hail from a wide range of disciplines and provide the expertise required to ensure an exceptional experience in the classroom. They mentor you through the entire learning process, offering insights and opening your mind to new concepts, intellectual pursuits, and career possibilities.

A Support System Helping You Succeed from Day One

You’ll find a community of individuals committed to your success. One-on-one advising, a dedicated team of career counselors, and a wide breadth of student services all come together to ensure that you have the tools to thrive on your journey to a Bachelor's in Social Sciences.

Enrich Your Network

Join a global network of industry-leading alumni, faculty, and students who become connections for a lifetime. During events such as NYU SPS Innovation Day with the United Nations, you will learn and find networking opportunities around every corner.

Advance Your Career with Critical Skills

Our courses equip social science majors with crucial skills like critical thinking and problem solving that will serve you along any path. This degree prepares you for career opportunities in fields like human resources, international relations, social services, psychology, politics, and more.

Rigorous Up-to-date Curriculum

Our curriculum provides a comprehensive exploration of subject matter that is deeply relevant to work and life. This includes understanding the impact of digital media on daily lives, economic, international studies, why organizations behave how they do and how to manage change, and sustainability.

What You’ll Study

Core Curriculum

Core courses provide an in-depth exploration of the liberal arts that expands your critical thinking and analytical skills, increases your knowledge, and develops your intellect.

Electives

Students choose elective courses in various social sciences topics in consultation with their adviser. 

Capstone

Work in close consultation with a faculty advisor on a senior capstone project or internship in your field of study.

Concentrations

Students may choose concentrations in anthropology, economics, history, international studies, media studies, organizational behavior and change, politics, psychology, sociology, sustainability, or urbanism.

Where You’ll Go

A wide range of career paths are open to DAUS graduates.

Where Our Alumni Work
  • Goldman Sachs
  • NBC Universal
  • AECOM
  • Ad Council
  • Barclays Investment Bank
  • Boies Schiller Flexner
  • CNN
  • Deloitte
  • Elsevier
  • Habitat for Humanity
  • IBM
  • Parsons Corporation
  • Sony Pictures Entertainment
  • Tasty Brands
  • Twitch
  • Verizon
  • Walt Disney Company
  • Yelp
What Our Alumni Do
  • Business Manager
  • Case Manager
  • Chief of Staff
  • Consultant
  • Community Developer
  • Database Manager
  • Financial Analyst
  • Head of Client Services
  • Sales Specialist
  • Social Media Coordinator

The above data is sourced from Lightcast

Spring 2026

Deadlines

Round

Deadline

Decision Release

Priority

August 1, 2025

October 15, 2025

Regular

October 1, 2025

November 15, 2025

Final

November 15, 2025

December 20, 2025

Priority

Deadline

Decision Release

August 1, 2025

October 15, 2025

Regular

Deadline

Decision Release

October 1, 2025

November 15, 2025

Final

Deadline

Decision Release

November 15, 2025

December 20, 2025

Summer 2026

Deadlines

Round

Deadline

Decision Release

Priority

October 1, 2025

December 15, 2025

Regular

January 15, 2026

March 1, 2026

Final

March 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

Priority

Deadline

Decision Release

October 1, 2025

December 15, 2025

Regular

Deadline

Decision Release

January 15, 2026

March 1, 2026

Final

Deadline

Decision Release

March 15, 2026

April 15, 2026

Fall 2026

Deadlines

Round

Deadline

Decision Release

Priority 1

November 1, 2025

December 15, 2025

Priority 2

January 15, 2026

April 1, 2026

Regular

May 1, 2026

June 15, 2026

Final

July 1, 2026

July 15, 2026

Priority 1

Deadline

Decision Release

November 1, 2025

December 15, 2025

Priority 2

Deadline

Decision Release

January 15, 2026

April 1, 2026

Regular

Deadline

Decision Release

May 1, 2026

June 15, 2026

Final

Deadline

Decision Release

July 1, 2026

July 15, 2026

Real World Experiences

Your journey might begin in the classroom, but we ensure that you can learn through experience—rolling up your sleeves and taking your studies to the real world.
NYU SPS students hold basketballs while meeting with a NIke executive as part of the Real World class.
Applied Learning

Courses are designed to tackle real world problems as part of the curriculum. Students have the opportunities to work with real-world clients, or solve real problems in course assignments.

Learn More About Applied Learning
A mid-air snapshot of four professionally dressed students in the NYU SPS Real World class jumping in the air.
Global Field Intensives (GFI)

SPS offers a range of GFIs for students to explore and engage with businesses in that host location. Students meet with companies, explore the culture of the location, and interact with local residents.

Learn More About Global Field Intensives
An overhead shot of various students exhibiting at the NYU SPS Capstone Fair in a large atrium.
Capstone or Internship

Students can cap their final semesters by gaining the right real world experience for their future via an internship or capstone project guided by an expert faculty member.

Frequently Asked Questions

Applicants to our Associate and Bachelor's degrees must have completed some college credit in order to apply to the summer or fall semesters. Applicants who have not completed any college coursework may apply to the spring semester. Learn more about the admission process and requirements.

Social sciences are the branch of science devoted to the study of societies and the relationships between individual human behavior within those societies. The social sciences help people understand how to interact in the world and how to do things such as influence policy, increase government accountability, develop networks, or promote a social cause.

Social sciences degrees involve the study of human behavior, both as individuals and how they interact with the world, society, and institutions. Common social science disciplines include:

  • Psychology

  • Sociology

  • Political science

  • Economics

  • Anthropology

  • Geography

Students graduating with a social science bachelor's degree have many job opportunities. A social science degree prepares students for jobs in different industries, including those that require strong critical thinking, presentation, and problem-solving skills. Graduates take jobs with a range of employers, from large corporate firms to nonprofits. Studying social sciences also equips those who are seeking to attend graduate school with a strong undergraduate education as a foundation for success.

The value of completing a social sciences program ultimately depends on how well it aligns with your individual career goals, interests, and aspirations. Completing this degree provides a well-rounded education and a flexible path forward in management, law, government, political science, education, social work, psychology, cultural anthropology, economics, and finance.

While earning potential in social sciences can vary based on education, experience, location and your specific field of interest, here are career options with potential for high salaries:

  • Economist: According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national average annual salary of an economist is $116,020. Read this Forbes article for a breakdown of average wage by state.

  • Political Scientist: Political scientists made $128,020 a year on average according to BLS.

  • Industrial-Organizational Psychologist: BLS reported this role earned $139,280 a year on average.

  • Geographer: The median annual wage for geographers is $88,900 according to BLS.

  • Market Research Analyst: BLS reported that the average market research analyst earns an annual salary of $68,230.

  • Sociologist: Sociologist made $98,590 per year according to BLS.

  • Survey Researcher: BLS reported that survey researchers make $60,410 a year on average.

  • Human Resource Manager: Folks in this role earned $130,000 per year according to BLS.

If you are eligible for the Federal Pell grant or New York State TAP and apply to start your degree in the spring term (January), NYU SPS will make up the difference between tuition and your federal and state aid, so you have no out-of-pocket tuition costs. This puts you halfway to completing an NYU SPS DAUS bachelor’s degree. Continue automatically into your choice of DAUS bachelor’s degrees, and your government aid plus any additional NYU SPS financial aid you are eligible for gives you the most affordable bachelor’s degree at NYU.